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ABB Schaltanlagentechnik GmbH in Ladenburg uses the EPLAN CAE system to engineer its high-quality enclosures that supply energy to, for example, computer centres, hospitals, power stations and industrial plants. The special thing here is that ABB has designed an integrated solution that also makes use of other software applications such as EPLAN interfaces to the procurement system, mechanical construction and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).
ABB Schaltanlagentechnik GmbH
ABB is a global player in low-voltage enclosure. In Ladenburg, ABB Schaltanlagentechnik GmbH develops and manufactures switchgear based on the modular constructed MNS®system that is the worldwide ABB standard for low-voltage enclosure systems and is produced in approximately 40 countries. In this way ABB covers the power range up to 1000 volts and 6300 amperes. The MNS®system portfolio includes the motor control centre in addition to energy distribution. Moreover, the user can chose between fixed built-in modules and insertion modules that can be installed and removed when live. In total with MNS®ABB has built approximately 900,000 switch bays. The enclosure projects consist of 5 to a maximum of 1,500 switch bays.
Advantages in the face of tough competition
Competition in the field of switchgear construction is stiff; in addition to a number of large suppliers active worldwide, there are numerous local enclosure manufacturers who possibly operate with lower prices. How does ABB aim to distinguish itself from its competitors? According to Hermann Graß, responsible for engineering at ABB Schaltanlagentechnik in Ladenburg: "We position ourselves as a system supplier for industry in particular. For units where high availability is important we develop and manufacture complex enclosures and pay attention to engineering and documentation as core competences in addition to production.”
Type-tested enclosures
In addition ABB can supply its customers with type-tested switchgear that is clearly superior to that of many of its competitors with regard to operational safety and system availability. According to Hermann Graß: "We guarantee to limit the failure of units to one output even in thecae of an internal failure. This is an important contributing factor to high availability and personal safety.
Dealing with complexity
In the engineering of enclosure ABB must be flexible. According to Hermann Graß: "Sometimes customers provide us with consumer data such as power and line lengths, sometimes we receive concrete specifications from engineering companies that we incorporate in the design. ”The challenge facing the ABB engineers is to choose the optimum solution from the diverse MNS®portfolio as the process moves from general to detailed engineering. These diverse solutions are necessary due to the different customer requirements for voltages, fuses, motor overload systems and different kinds of connections. For these requirements ABB can make useof a modular component built of standardized modules.
Goal: Integrated information platform
How does ABB deal with this complexity? For this task ABB makes use of the EPLAN 5.70 CAE System and has incorporated the whole standard module in this system. The engineering starts here for the designers with EPLAN. According to Hermann Graß: "We aim to work with an integrated information platform right from the design phase.” In the CAE system the engineer selects the modules that have been specified as standard for defined tasks. The schematic is generated completely automatically using EPLAN’s schematics generator (ESG). This way the engineer is relieved of repetitive work as much as possible and can devote himself to his real task– actual engineering.
Integration up to the ERP
However, the integration goes even further than this: Using the schematics generator EPLAN prepares an interface component that ABB has expanded with "ESG 2000”. According to ABB project leader Thomas Grevener: "The ESG2000 contains the enclosure technology of the MNS® system with EPLAN macros and material data. The engineering work starts with the customer’s bill of materials. The BOM is entered in the ESG 2000 and enables the connection of the components to select modules of the MNS®system. Information such as device texts, current, and cable type can be read from the BOM and later taken over automatically to EPLAN for the generation of single lines and schematics. An arrangement tool has been designed in the ESG2000 in which the MNS modules are placed in the enclosure according to set regulations and these are used later in EPLAN for automatic front view generation. There is also a connection from EPLAN to SAP so that all relevant information is available on the higher ERP layer. According to Thomas Grevener: "All materials are entered in ESG 2000 and then transferred to SAP via a PMS databank. SAP updates the PMS databank automatically so that integration is guaranteed here too.”
Unified database
Thomas Grevener has invested time and effort in combining the individual software applications such as SAP, ESG and EPLAN and in simplifying the CAE processes. But his efforts have paid off as changes that inevitably occur during the course of a project can now be incorporated with the minimum expense and converted without errors. There is a common database. Another advantage of the integrated solution is that documentation such as the parts list and cable connection diagram is produced at the same time as the schematic. This saves time and means that the documentation is always up to date.
From ABB’s point of view it is optimum if the user also maintain the enclosure with EPLAN: The integration of the whole lifecycle is then complete.
High degree of freedom with the CAE system
In addition to the ability to communicate with other applications, EPLAN also gives the system a degree of freedom for the entry of additional information: For the individual MNS modules macros have been developed that enable automated field wiring. According to Thomas Grevener: "These macros enable us to save a lot of time when changes are made and they create the basis for highly structured engineering.”
Many ways to make the work easier
For the future, ABB is considering the use of EPLAN Cabinet to enable automated 3D-construction of enclosure and efficient production control. With this it is possible to determine automated pathways of lines and this is used as the basis of wire assembly. The production of cable trees by CAE would also be desirable. Integrated information for sign printing would also make-work easier. The mechanical production of mounting panels and also the drilling of enclosure doors can be determined by CAE.
“The engineer is the king”
The optimum automation of enclosure engineering at ABB does not aim to make the engineer redundant. On the contrary, according to Hermann Graß: "The engineer is the one that makes the decisions at ABB. His experience is important and he selects the components. Our integrated information platform will provide him with the optimum support in this.” The CAE solution also helps ABB distinguish itself from its competitors by bringing its engineering competence to the forefront and converting it into high-quality enclosures.
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